Key receptacle



Jan. 18, 1938. H. H. DE BERRY 2,105,763

- KEY RECEPTACLE Filed March 5, 1937 15612261" HfieBerr INVENTOR RNEY . i RE 5005";

Homer a. me 7 Application n 3, 1937, s No. izasn (oi. iMEt) through the key receptacle,

The invention relates to key receptacles wherein keys are disposed within a casing and are projected therefrom when desired for use and has for its object to provide a device of this character comprising a casing havinga chamber open at its ends and pivotallyponnected keys within the chamber and controlled by a -finger en ging member for projecting either key through the open end of the casing.

"A further object is to form the openings in the ends of the casing whereby when a key is pro- Jected therefrom, the casing may assume an angular position in relation when the key is in a look.

A further object is to provide the keys with shoulders cooperating with shoulders carried by the casing whereby when a key is drawn into the casing, it will pivotally move into longitudinal relation with the casing. Also to provide shoulders on the keys at opposite sides of the pivotal points of the keys and cooperating with the walls of the casing for maintaining the keys, when within thecasing, in alinement and against piv- I otal movement. I

A further object is to provide the adjacent ends of the keys with overlapped reduced portions having an expansible finger control member within registering apertures thereof and cooperating with recesses in one side of the casing for holding the keys in extended or retracted positions.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it understood that changes in the precise embodimentor the invention maybe made within thesoope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit or the invention. as n Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing in dotted lines the positions assumed e 3 is a perspective moved from the casing. I e

Figure 4 is a longitudinal transverse sectional to view through the receptacle and keys, taken on line H Figure 5.

I Figure 5 is a side elevation of the key recap tacle, showing one of the keys extended and bei'ore it assumes an angular position. N

view of the keys re- 5s Referringtothe drawingnhenumeral i by the key extended.

to the key, for instance O lt or it inside of the casing I, and

V out of the recesses It hates the casing of the key holder, which casing hasqa chamber 2 extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating in open ends 3, through which eitherof the keys l or 5 is adapted to be extended when it is desired for use. The casing 5 side walls 6 terminate in shoulders I spaced from the ends of the casing at opposite sides thereof, and therefore it will be seen that when either key is projected through the open ends 3, it may assume a right angular position as shown in, 10

Figures 1 and 2 with the key shoulders 8 engaging the shoulders 7, whereby when the particular key is drawn into the casing, it will pivot from the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 to the full line position shown in said figure. The-other 15 shoulders 9 oi the keys 6 and 5 are positioned whereby they will engage the inner sides of the casing walls d when the keys are within the easing and will maintain the keys in longitudinal alinement with the casing and against pivotal movement whilathey are housed and while being carried in a pocket, thereby preventing noise and at the same time preventing constant wear on the bearing apertures It in the overlapped reduced pivotally connected portions H 01' the keys.

The keys are pivotally connected together by means of telescopically engaged cup shaped membare it and it, which are in reverse position and have disposed therein. an expansion spring l4, which normally forces the member I3 outwardly so that it can be received in any of the recesses on opposite sides of the elongated slot l1, through which the finger eng member is extends. The finger engaging member is threaded into the cup shaped members It and when depressed moves or I 6, and at which time the operator can longitudinally move the same for projecting either key from the casing.

' When the spring actuated member I 3 is in the recesses It, the keys are entirely housed within the casing I, and it will be noted by referring to Figure 2, all of the shoulders 8 and 9- are engaging the walls 8, and said walls, in combination with the recesses I! in which the cup shaped member it is disposed, will hold the keys against pivotal movement, and the keys will be positively held within the casing.

When it is desired to use a particular key the operator places his finger on the finger engaging, member I B and forces the same inwardly. This action will compress the spring It and remove the cup shaped member l3 from the recesses l6; then the operator forces the member l8 towards 55 the end of the casing and until it reaches one through the same, reversely positioned keys with of the recesses l5, at which time the operator removes his finger tom the member l8 and the key may then be moved to the angular position shown in Figure 1 for use. This particular angular position is desirable where it is not safe to have the casing sticking outwardly, for instance where it is in the ignition lock of an automobile. This angular position also allows the casing to be used as a lever in turning the key, particularly where the lock is hard to work.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A key holder and receptacle. comprising a casing having a chamber extending entirely operating with a plurality of spaced recesses carried by the casing for holding either key in errtended position or in retracted position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including cooperating means carried by the casing and keys whereby when the keys are extended they can assume an angular position in relation to the casing and when retracted within the casing will be held against pivotal movement in relation to each other and to the casing.

4. A key holder and receptacle comprising acasing having a chamber extending entirely through the same and through'which keys are projected, axially alined keys within the chemher, the adjacent ends of said keys being pivotally connected, a finger engaging member extending through one side of the casing and through an elongated slot therein and carried by the pivotal connection between the keys, an expansible member forming said pivotal connection, said expansible member cooperating with recesses adjacent the casing slot for holding either key extended or in retracted positions.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the keys, when extended may assume an angular po-.

sition in relation to the casing and cooperating shoulders carried by the keys and casing whereby when a key is retracted from its angular position,

it will be pivotally moved into alinement with the casing chamber and the other key.

6. A device as setforth in claim 4 wherein the expansible connection between the adjacent key ends is formed by telescopically engaged cup shaped members and an expansion spring within said cup shaped members.

'7. The combination with a key holder comprising a casing having a. chamber extending entirely through the same with its open ends extending around the ends of the casing and inwardly to a point spaced from the ends of the casing, keys slidably mounted within the chamber of the casing and adapted to be projected from the open ends of the chamber, shoulders carried by the keys and cooperating with the shoulders formed. by the 'open ends of the casing for allowing the keys to assume an angular position in relation to the casing when extended and to return-the keys to longitudinal position when retracted, overlapped reduced ends carried by the keys and having registering apertures, and an expansible spring actuated member in said apertures and forming a combined pivotal con-=- motion between the keys and holding means for keys.

HOWE H. DE nmnr. .l 

